TechLocal: AI Professional Degree and Traineeship Accelerator
Innovate UK. (UK Research and Innovation) · United Kingdom. Projects must be delivered in one or more specified regions: North West England, South West England, Yorkshire and the Humber, North East England, East Midlands, West Midlands, South East England, East of England, London, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Project work must be carried out in the UK and results exploited from or in the UK. (Innovation Funding Service)
Grant funding to develop Level 6 and Level 7 equivalent AI higher education courses, professional practice programmes and graduate traineeships. The competition aims to build industry-ready AI professionals aligned to local skills demand through integrated learning, employer engagement and work-based experience. (UK Research and Innovation)
Summary
Deadline
18 Mar 2026
Updated
16 Oct 2026
Grant funding to develop Level 6 and Level 7 equivalent AI higher education courses, professional practice programmes and graduate traineeships. The competition aims to build industry-ready AI professionals aligned to local skills demand through integrated learning, employer engagement and work-based experience. (UK Research and Innovation)
Eligibility
Applicant types
See eligibility requirements
Industries
Artificial Intelligence and AI-related disciplines. (Innovation Funding Service)
Match funding
No match funding required. Contributions must comply with Minimal Financial Assistance rules where applicable. (Innovation Funding Service)
Eligible applicants
UK registered academic institutions or education providers may apply either individually or collaboratively. In collaborative projects, the lead must be a UK registered academic institution or education provider. (Innovation Funding Service)
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
£300,000 grant funding per project. (Innovation Funding Service)
Total fund available
Up to £7,800,000. (UK Research and Innovation)
Funding intensity
Up to 100% of eligible project costs, subject to the £315,000 Minimal Financial Assistance limit over three financial years. Research organisations undertaking non-economic activity may receive up to 100% of eligible costs. (Innovation Funding Service)
Payment type
Not specified
Eligible scope
Projects must develop Level 6 or Level 7 AI curricula, professional practice courses, graduate traineeships, internships, work placements and employer-integrated learning. Proposals must demonstrate regional impact, respond to local skills demand and improve employment outcomes in AI. (Innovation Funding Service)
Eligible expenses
- Eligible project costs in accordance with Innovate UK guidance, including staff, training development, equipment where justified and other eligible costs. Academic institutions must use the Je-S financial form. (Innovation Funding Service)
Ineligible costs
Not specified
Application and risks
Application platform
Innovation Funding Service (IFS). (UK Research and Innovation)
Competitiveness
Approximately 25% success rate based on similar Innovate UK competitions. (Innovation Funding Service)
Decision timeline
Applicants notified by 27 April 2026. (Innovation Funding Service)
Assessment process
Applications reviewed by independent assessors. Portfolio approach applied. (Innovation Funding Service)
Application sections
- Project details, application questions, finances, project impact. (Innovation Funding Service)
Application components
Not specified
Required documents
Not specified
Appendices
- Minimal Financial Assistance declaration, Approach appendix, Team Summary appendix, Project Plan or Gantt Chart, Risk Register and Je-S form for academic institutions. (Innovation Funding Service)
Assessment criteria
Not specified
Decision risks
Applications may be rejected if eligibility requirements are not met, Minimal Financial Assistance rules are exceeded, required appendices are missing, or Innovate UK financial viability checks are unsuccessful. Government funding may be withdrawn following portfolio balancing or budget decisions. (Innovation Funding Service)
Timeline and partners
Opening date
4 Feb 2026
Project duration
18 to 45 months. (Innovation Funding Service)
Project start
1 Jul 2026
Project end
31 Mar 2030
Co-funders
- Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). (UK Research and Innovation)
Collaboration rules
- Single applicants are permitted. Collaborative projects must include at least one grant-funded partner. No partner may account for more than 70% of eligible project costs. Lead applicants may submit up to two applications and collaborate in any number of applications. Collaborating businesses, charities, public sector organisations and RTOs may participate in up to two applications. (Innovation Funding Service)
Consortium requirements
Not specified
Additional guidance
Document research last revised 2026-07-31.
Grant Name
TechLocal: AI Professional Degree and Traineeship Accelerator
Minimum Award
£100,000 grant funding per project. (Innovation Funding Service)
Collaboration Organisations
Businesses of any size, charities, not-for-profit organisations, public sector organisations and research and technology organisations (RTOs) may collaborate but cannot lead. (Innovation Funding Service)
Research Category
Experimental development. (Innovation Funding Service)
Subcontractors
Permitted where justified through a procurement process. Overseas subcontractors must be fully justified. Lower cost alone is not sufficient justification. (Innovation Funding Service)
Subsidy Scheme
Awarded under Minimal Financial Assistance under the Subsidy Control Act 2022. Total MFA support must not exceed £315,000 over the applicable three-financial-year period. (Innovation Funding Service)
Sanctions Rule
Funding will not be awarded where it would breach UK sanctions. (Innovation Funding Service)
Animal Research Rule
Projects involving animals must comply with UKRI animal welfare guidance. Additional information may be required where applicable. (Innovation Funding Service)
Interview Stage
Not specified. (Innovation Funding Service)
Key Requirements
Projects must create at least one new professional practice course, graduate traineeship or internship. Applicants must demonstrate commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, employer engagement, regional delivery capability and integrated work experience. Projects must start on the first day of the month. Hyperlinks must not be included in application answers. (Innovation Funding Service)
Important Notes
Projects must request 100% grant funding within the funding limits. Projects must not start before the Grant Offer Letter is accepted. Funding allocations may be adjusted following portfolio balancing. The programme forms part of the wider TechLocal initiative under the TechFirst programme to strengthen regional AI skills and employment. (gov.uk)
Official Grant Page
https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/techlocal-ai-professional-degree-and-traineeship-accelerator/ (UK Research and Innovation)
Application deadline in source document
18 March 2026 at 11:00am UK time. (Innovation Funding Service)
Official source
Quick facts
- Status
- Closed
- Deadline
- 18 Mar 2026
- Funding amount
- £300,000 grant funding per project. (Innovation Funding Service)
- Funding band
- Not specified
- Funding type
- Grant. (UK Research and Innovation)
- Payment type
- Not specified
- Audience
- See eligibility requirements
- Industry
- Artificial Intelligence and AI-related disciplines. (Innovation Funding Service)
- Last updated
- 16 Oct 2026
- Published
- 3 Feb 2026